Half to john simpson



(No Model.) 4Sheet's-Sheet 1.

i, D A. ROBINSON.

POWER TRANSMISSION FOR GRAIN BLEVATORS. l No. 460,661. Patented Oct. 6, 1891.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheep 2.

D. A. ROBINSON. POWER TRANSMISSION POR GRAIN BLBVATORS.

No. 460,661. Patented 0ct.6,1891.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

D. A. ROBINSON. POWER TRANSMISSION POR GRAIN ELBVATORS.

No. 460,661. Ptented Oct.

.25y *Jf 1N: nounsmns up.. muro-cmo., wnwmmnfg. c.

I Il

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

D. A. ROBINSON. ROWRR TRANSMISSION PoR GRAIN RLRVATGRS.

No. 460,661. Patented 95,11. 6, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIQE.

DIGHTON A..ROBINSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JOHN SIMPSON, OF SAME PLACE.

POWER-TRANSMISSION FOR GRAIN-ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,661, dated October 6, 1891.

Application iiled March 26, 1891. Serial No. 386,535. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DIGHTON A. ROBINSON,V of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a certain Improved System of Power-Transmission for Grain-Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for conveniently, cheaply, and safely transmitting power to the various parts of an elevator-building.

Heretofore much trouble and expense have been caused by the use in the top of the elevator-cupola of long lines of shafting for driving the elevator-belts extending up from the bottom of the building. The power has ordinarily been transmitted to these long shafts by a main belt extending from a large drive-pulley on the engine-shaft. In order to make each elevator-belt independent of the others, friction pulleys o1' clutches have been used in connection with the long shafts in the cupola. For running the shovel-machines and the grain-cleaners on the lower floor of the elevator-building separate lines of shafting and belting have been provided in the lower part thereof. The disadvantages of such systems are,v1irst, the impracticability of keeping in line the long shafts in the top of the building, owing to the settling and rocking of the same as the grain-bins are filled and emptied.` This motion of the building thus makes necessary constant attention to and changesin the alignment of the cupolashafts and of the counter-shafts connected therewith; second, great danger of tire in the upper part of the building, caused by sparks from the friction devices; third,the necessity for use of high bin-posts on which to set the cupola to give sufficient strength for the proper support of the heavy shafting, dac., and, fourth, the original high cost of construction and expense of maintenance.

The objects of my invention are to do away with the long lines of shafting in the cupola, to make the operation of each elevator-belt entirely independent of all others, to drive all ol' the machinery from one or main shafts in the bottom of the building, to do away with the necessity of using bin-posts, to prevent possibility of tire in parts of the building not readily accessible, and in general to decrease the cost of construction and of operation.

y lith these ends in view my invention consists, generally, in constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation 6o of an elevator-building provided with powertransmission devices embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the same being modified and the intermediate portions between the top and bottom of the building being cut away. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan viewon the line e z of Fig. 7o 3. Fig. 6 shows another drive arrangement, the drive belt or ropes occupying the space between the elevator-cases. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on 'the line u u of Fig. 6. Fig. S shows a friction-drive for revolving the elevator-belt pulley.

In Figs. lv and 2 of the drawings, 2 represents the engine-shaft, and 3 the main drivewheel. From this main wheel 3 the rope drive-belt passes over the grooved pulleys 5 8o on the main drive-shaft 6. This drive-shaft 6 extends the full length of the building, as Shown, and is provided with the large pulleys 7, from which the long rope drives 8 extend up into the cupola of the building and over pulleys adapted to operate the elevatorbelts. This long shaft is also provided with pulleys 9 for running the scoop-shovels used in unloading the grain from the cars; also located on this shaft 6 are drive-Wheels 10, 9o from which belts 11 extend to operate the grain-cleaners or other machines l2. All of these pulleys and Wheels are connected with the drive-shaft 6 by suitable friction-clutches 13, adapted to be controlled by suitable shifting devices accessible from the lower floor 14 of the building. By throwing out the shipper-rods of these friction-clutches 13 any portion or all of the machinery of the building may be stopped.

The cupola is built diroo ISL- rectly upon the top of the bin-planking 15, suitable girders being placed across the top thereof upon which to rest the lower ends of the cupola-timbers or frame-work 17. This cupola is provided with the usual weighingbin and spout-floors and with the upper story 18, containing the machinery for driving theV belt-pulleys in the heads 19 ofthe elevator-- cases 20. The elevator-boots '21 (shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and in full lines in Fig. 6) are provided with suitable idlers 22, over which the conveyer-belts pass. Short counter-shafts are provided in connection with the elevator-heads, and a rope beltpasses up over the same from a corresponding `pulley 7 on the main shaft in the lower part'off,

the building. The connection betweenthe counter {shaftpulley and 'the elevator l'belt pulley' is positive, so that'when the drive-belt 8 is' started up by throwing 'inA the frictionclutch,` o'njthe lshaftv 6 the" elevator-belt is, iin-l 1nediately`set irfnrotionfl y control of the machineryffromv the' rst floor is made absolute.' Ordinarily the frictionclutches 'have' been' located 'on'the lon g shafts l in the cupola and operated by wireropesor" halyar'ds extending down to the lower'iit'nor.

A's 'shown'in' Fig. 1, the ropefdrive 8' eittendsffrohi'the pulley 7 up toi'andf over the counter-shaft pulley 25sec'ure`d ntheshort counter-shaft' 26, which extends th'rough'be-- tween the'legs'of the elevator-cfaset'and just" beneath the elevator-'head 19.'

Figs'2 and 4' show one end of the counter,- shaft'26, provided with thepulley 25, and on: the other end,fon the' other'side ofthe head, with the"v gear-pinion '27 which meshes' with the large gear'28, 'provided on'the shaft 29,Y to

whichftlre head-pulley with the headV 19 is' secured.vr Hencethe headlpulleyand the elevator-'bucket belt 'passing over the` same arei driven when the 'rope drive' 8, passing over the pulley 25, is started up. The elevatorhead oufthe other side of the building is 'providedw'ith' gear-'wheels and drive-pulley 31,`

similar fto that' just described. -The'drive-A ropes, however,' extend to the same in a different` way.' The drive 8"passes" up from' a' second pulley 40, corresponding'to'the pulley 7. Passing'over idlers 32, the ropes are carried in a'"l'oop`30 across the building and over the pulley'31." The idlers are so arranged that the `upgoing and down'going strands of the drive 8 interlace, as indicated inFig. 2Q

These'idlers are secured on 'short shafts fixed' in bearingsbolted'to' the frame-work of the building.L In place of using' separate drives from'theftop to' kthe bottom ofthe building,

In' this Way the` detail in Figs. 3, 4, and 6, showing the outside strands of the rope passed down in a loop around the idler-sheave 34,provided with the weight 35 and held in place by guides.

Figs. 3 and 4 show apparatus identical with that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exceptionV of. the arrangement of the driving-ropes. In place of using the long vertical drives 8 and 8" in one side of the building, or rather a number of such, I may use two vertical drives 8 and 38, the first operated from the drivepulley 7 on the main shaft 6 and the other driven from a second drive 40 thereon, the ropes 38, corresponding to 8f, being carried around the id1ers41 `and 42 to change the running direction of the drive, so that the two elevator-belts willv revolve in opposite tdirections.A As shownint'he' plan view,Fig, 5, the

upperjstrands' of 'the rope r3.8' arefheldapart bya 'special arrangement of grooves'f'in thel idler 42, vso that the lc'iw'er'4 strands may pass A between' the saine, as shown bythe rope' ends" 43, which are guided -by grooves in theeidleer 41. A paper friction-wheel 44 is providedoii the' shaft of the idler 41, against `vwhich the y larser'fifiee-Whee/H marbelfdbythninserertheieemeetheebytsettngmediums for' Operaties the Shovels. @.Otheris'econdaty the twosidesof the elevator I prefer lover, that shown inJ Figs; 1 Aandf2, for the reason` 40am fheidiers A4i e642 inthe] boaoiq'f the ,building can more 4easily bev'kgivenclose attention` thanl the" cross-:belts Aforming their loops 30,' (shown in'Fig. 1,) and, furtheijfor,

the ireason that the short drives 49 from the' pulleys 'on the shaft 6 f ordriving the shovels (shown inFig.` y1) are' dispen'selil,with;l Fig. 4' shows the elevator head oribelt pulley` `5,0, over .95 machines in motion', This form 'of device for which the elevator-belt 51', having the ,cups A 52,A passes. v

Figs. 6 and 7 show an arrangement foral-1y ing lthe head-pulleys'O whichy Ironsiderf preferable to'all otherstfor the reason that the drive-ropes 53, corresponding to the driveropes 8,' are confined in the` space between th`ef elevator-cases 54, hence occupying no A more' room 'than' must necessarily bevusedfor the l elevator-cases. This arrangement is made IIO possiblebythe use of the sprocket-chain A55 running ov'ery the sprocket-wheels'Iand,57, the first of which is on'the shaft bearing the upper drive-wheel pulley 58 and thesecond on the shaft with'` the elevator belt or1 head pulley. The sprocket-chainis Along enoughz so that the shaft-59,'whichordinarily'bears the gear-pinion 27, may be droppeddown, so as to leave'room beneath the bottom of the elevatorhead 19 for the drive-pulley 58.'4 'The shaft 59 is usually secured 'in bearings pr'of vided on the floor 60 of the upper'stor'y 18. The distance between thelegs of the elevatorcase is ordinarily from six to twelve feet,ai1d hence there is plenty of space 'for the pulleys 61, corresponding tothe pulleys 7, an'dfor the pulleys 58 between theV legs of the' case."

These elevator-cases 54 are usually extended up through one of the grain-bins 63, and in order to prevent the pressure of the grain from throwing the cases out of line are proteeted by strong partitions 64, built on each side thereof, as shown in Fig. 7. Thus it will be seen that a space is left fullylarge enough to accommodate the necessary drive-ropes 53. A ladder usually extends through these wells midwaS7 between the legs 54 of the cases to render access to the drive-belts easy. By use of the small idler 85 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6) I am enabled to use a smaller bootpulley than usual.

In Fig. 7 the drive-ropes 65 extend over pulleys 66 (shown in dotted lines) on the stationary shaft 67 and down over the tensionidler 68. The shafts 67 are provided with friction-pulleys 70 and are secured on the cross-beams 69 of the frame-work. The elevater-pulley 7l, corresponding to the pulley 50, is mounted on a shaft secured in bearings 7 2, bolted on the movable frame-work 73, pivoted at 74 to the main stationary frame. By operating the lever 75, pivoted on the stationary block 76, the knuckle-joint levers 77 may be straightened to raise the pulley 7l out of contact with the friction -pulleys 70, and thereby stop the elevator-belt. By throwing back the lever the large pulley may be dropped down upon the friction pulleys, which, if in motion, will revolve the large pulley and the elevator-belt.

The principal objects of the invention are thus attained-namely, a head-drive for the elevator-belts and absolute control of machinery from below, low cost of building and operation, owing to the employment of the long shaft 6 in thelower part of the building, where it is not iniiuenced by any twisting or rocking of the elevator-building, and, further, all friction-clutches being dispensed with in the top of the builing, danger of a destructive lire is practically avoided.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by 'Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the elevator-belts arranged. on opposite sides of the building and head-pulleys thereof arranged on short shafts with another short shaft provided in connection with each of said head-pulleys, a main shaft provided in the lower part of the elevator-building, means for driving the same, and a belt extending up to and adapted to drive each of said second short shafts, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in an elevator, of a main driving-shaft provided in the lower part thereof with a series of loose pulleys provided thereon and adapted to be connected therewith bysuitable clutch devices, elevator-belts, head and boot pulleys thereof, short countershafts connected with said head pulleys, drive-pulleys thereon, and separate drivebelts extending from said pulleys on said main shaft over the corresponding drive-pulleys on the head-pulley counter-shafts', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the main shaft located in the lower part of the building with elevator-belts located on opposite sides of the building and extending over head-pulleys provided on short shafts arranged in the cupola, other short shafts provided in connection with said head-pulleys, driving-pulleys thereon, corresponding driving-pulleys on said main shaft, and belts passing therefrom over said driving-pulleys in theeupola, and said drivingpulleys on the main shaft being connected ,therewith by suitable clutches, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in an elevator, of the main driving-shaft located in the lower partV ter-shafts, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. lThe combination of a main shaft loc-ated in the lower part of the building and extending the length thereof with elevator, secondary machine, drive-pulleys thereon, said elemain shaft by suitable clutches, the storagebins, the cupola built directly on the tops thereof, the elevator-belts, the head-pulleys located in the top of the cupola, countershafts connected with said head-pulleys, rope driving-belts extending from the drive-pulleys on the main shaft over drive-pulleys on vator drive-pulleys being connected with said IOO driving-pulleys on said main shaft, and rope drives extending therefrom over said drivingpulleys on said counter-shafts, the vertical drive-belts in the side of the building opposite the main shaft being connected therewith by cross connections or loops 38, and said pulleys on said main shaft being connected therewith by suitable clutches, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combinatiomwith an elevator-belt, of boot aud head pulleys therefor, the elevatorcasin gs 54, the main drive-shaft, the drive-pnlleys G thereon, provided between said cases, the counter-shafts 59, the small sprocket 56 and the drive-pulley 58, secured thereon, the sprocket-wheel 57, secured upon the shaft of the head-pulley, and the sprocket-chain 55, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

S. The combination, with the elevator-belt, of head and boot pulleys therefor, elevatorcasings 54, the drive-pulleys58 and6l, secured 9. The combination, with.anelevator-belt,

of the heads-pulley therefor and the short shaft whereon said head-pulley is arranged, casin gs for said belt, the short shaft arranged beneathsaid head-pulley shaft and between the legs of said casings, the drive-pulley ar,- ranged thereon,a niainnshafna drive-pulley thereon, the drive-belt passing oversaid drivepulleys, and a drive connection provided between said short shafts, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a main shaft arranged in the lower part of the building with the elevator-belts located in different transverse positions with respect to said main shaft, head-pulleys for said belt arranged on short shafts, other short shafts provided in` proxiinity thereto, drive-connections between ref spective pairs of short shafts, and means for driving said other short shafts from Said main shaft, substantially asdescribed.

ll. The combination, withamain shaft arranged inthe lower part -of the building, of

elevator-belts locatedV on opposite, sidesrof4 the head-prille)7 shafts, head-pu11eystherefor,

short lcounter-shafts having driving-pulleys and connected therewith, corresponding' drving-pulleys on'said =rnain shaft and -adapted to be connected therewithhby clutches, rope belts passing from thence over the `rst-mentioned driving-pulley, secondary Amachinedrums, andmeans for. connecting the same with said main shaft at will, substantiallyas described.

In testimonywhereof I haveset my handl 

